It wasn’t an attack- 85 stitches ,two ambulances ,3 days in hospital and seven weeks district nursing – according to the owners Dot and Graeme Pleasants .(Closeup) .I could be sarcastic and say the obvious – of course- it was self defence by the dog.
- The fact that the dog came at me without warning or provocation counts for nothing obviously with the owners (longterm clients of some 12 years or so) or the Wanganui District Council.
- The fact that we had about 74 years (between my husband and I) commercial experience handling all types and temperaments of dogs and never been bitten- it doesn’t seem to have dawned on the Council or Pleasants (who acknowledged that they have been bitten by their own dogs in the past) that the only reason I wasn’t killed was simply because of our experience -when things went really wrong we knew how to handle it.
- The fact that what looks like skin fragments in the enlargement of injuries is actually ungloved fat which demonstrates the depth and force of the bites
- The fact that the dog had a choker and horse lead on made it possible to pull him off me- no lead and no experience what does the reader think the outcome is going to be.
- Even more serious is the fact ,if that had been a child ,no amount of experience would have saved it. The damage I incurred was through a coat,jersey and skivvy-what chance would a child have had.
- The fact that the dog bit me some 30-40 times-mostly with me on the ground and him on top of me -is that the behaviour of a normal dog?-and the owners are still trying to excuse it.
- The fact is the Council have released a dog to owners who obviously refuse to come to grips with exactly how dangerous their dog is- how safe does that make the rest of the community?
- The fact is that the Council have had their chance to enforce the agreement they struck with the Pleasants and uplift the dog.It was agreed that if the various clauses of the agreement weren’t adhered to by the owners they would voluntarily hand the dog over.Now you have to ask yourself as Graeme Pleasants is President of the RSA and one of the cities 12 Ambassadors what is his word or signature worth?
- You also have to ask yourself considering the cities stance on dangerous dogs-why the lack of fines and why the non enforcement of the agreement never mind the supposed “legal loophole.”
